


Until He's Ready

by Prettywitchiusaka



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:16:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28371501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prettywitchiusaka/pseuds/Prettywitchiusaka
Summary: For fma03month. Ed invites Winry over to fix his automail, only for things to get awkward between them. Set about a year before the first anime. Mostly familial EdxWinry, though romantic EdxWinry is strongly implied.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	Until He's Ready

It's days like these Edward wished he could use his alchemy to make time go faster. Maybe then, he wouldn't have found himself in this awkward situation.

Edward wanted to groan, only he couldn't. He hated this!

He was the Fullmetal Alchemist, for crying out loud! He'd thwarted **dozens** of corrupt officials both political and militarized in nature, stood his ground against wanna-be terrorists and mad alchemists in situations which would've cost him his life if he weren't careful. Yet here he was; a squirming, emotional wreck unable to calm the panic he felt at being next to a girl his own age.

And not just any girl, but Winry Rockbell; his childhood friend he hadn't seen since at **least** last Christmas.

Unfortunately, he couldn't exactly leave the loose joint in his automail arm unattended. Plus, he did promise he'd call her up if he was ever in need of a repair. He didn't really have much of a choice.

Within two hours of Edward calling her, she hopped on the next train to the city he and his brother, Alphonse were staying in and made her way to their hotel.

Now he only wished he had something to read, whatever it took to rid himself of the anxiety he can feel coursing through (almost) every part of his body.

"I think you've gotten taller," she said.

"Huh?"

He turns to look her in the eye.

"I said I think you've gotten taller since the last time I saw you."

"Really?" he asked, enthusiastically. "I mean, yeah, I think it's pretty cool."

"I know. Even a few inches is better than nothing."

"WHAT!?"

Winry chuckled.

"Oh relax, Ed. You gotta laugh at yourself, sometimes."

He pouted.

"I guess..."

Edward put his chin in his hand and sat there, trying to think of other things to pass the time. That way, he could focus on something other than Winry and her determined gaze.

Or her big, blue eyes.

Or how nice her hair looks, having grown it out another inch since he last saw her.

Or how her bust was (a little) bigger.

Or even her legs and how long and smooth they appeared to be-Yup! It's a miracle he wasn't a drooling, blubbering mess on the floor, dying from embarrassment!

Thankfully, something else catches his eye.

"Did you pierce your ears, again?"

"What? Oh, yeah," she replied, moving her right ear forward to show off her new, silver ones that looped around her earlobe. "Grandma gave me these for my birthday, this year. Do you like them?"

Edward smiled, especially when he notices she's still wearing the white, pearl shaped earrings he bought her last winter. "Yeah," he said. "They look good on you."

"Wow. You must really be out of it today if you're complimenting me."

He chuckled.

"I gotta keep you around somehow."

"And done," she said. "Try it out and see how it feels."

He stood on his feet and stretched his forearm a bit. So far so good, he thought. He threw a few punches, even performs a few blocks to test its flexibility.

"Well?"

He turns and gives her a thumbs up.

"Feels good as new," he said. "Thanks, Winry."

Winry smiles and crosses her arms. "Don't mention it," she said, proudly. "Though it **is** last-minute, so I'll have to charge you extra to cover the trip here.

He chuckles.

"I know. I know."

He puts on his black jacket, beaming brightly. Now all he has to do is pay her, possibly take her out shopping and-

"So when do you think you'll come and visit?"

Edward grew silent...and sighs internally. How many times has she asked him that question these past two years, he wonders?...How many times will he be forced to give her the same answer?

"I don't know," he said. "We're gonna be pretty busy for the next little while."

"Oh..."

He turns and looks at Winry...whose eyes no longer shine with cheer and confidence, but disappointment. Seeing that makes Edward feel guilty. She always looks so glum when he gives her the run around about why he can't come and visit, no matter how well she tries to mask it. He just knows her too well.

He turns and smiles at her awkwardly.

"Come on, Winry. Don't take it so personally. It's just Risembool is far away and Al and I don't want to burden you.-"

"How can you say that!?" she asked.

His eyes met her big, blue orbs he saw in them not anger, but fury. A fury he hadn't seen in her since that fateful day she'd been informed her parents had been killed in action. It was enough for him to start kicking himself, mentally.

"I think about you all the time," she said. "About how you're doing? Or if you're eating right, or sleeping well? Or if your automail is holding up? Why do you make it sound like it's such a bad thing?"

Edward remained silent.

Not that it mattered. It didn't take long for her to flee the room, sobbing quietly, leaving him to stare down at his shoes. He didn't even flinch as the familiar sound of a suit of armor clanked its way into the room.

"Brother, what happened?"

"I screwed up."

"Did she ask when we're coming home to visit, again?"

He finally turned to look his brother, Alphonse in the eye.

"Yeah."

Alphonse said nothing, he'd heard all of this before.

"Why can't you just tell her the truth?"

"I'm not ready..."

"Brother...," Alphonse said, sadly.

Edward smiled briefly. He hears the concern in his brother's voice, hears the mild irritation mixed within, and appreciates how worried he is.

Still, there was a part of him that, however small, couldn't help rolling his eyes at his brother's naivety. " _Yeah, that's a great idea!_ " he thought, sarcastically. What was he suppose to say? _"Sorry, Winry. We'd love to stay, but you never know who's watching?"_ She wouldn't understand.- No; she was too **stubborn** to understand, just like he was. And that's the problem.

Alphonse sighed. He made his way to the door. "I'll go find her-"

"No," he said. "I'll do it."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked into the hallway. It probably wouldn't take long to find her anyway, he figured.

There was something that'd caught her eye when she first got here, and if he knew Winry Rockbell as well as he thought he did, than that's where she'd be.

He made his way down to the lobby using the elevator and, sure enough, there she was. Standing in front of the automated doll display, watching with intense fascination at the little ballerinas and their rigged choreography.

Edward smiled a little inwardly. Knowing Winry, she's probably wondering how they function? And possibly dying to get her hands on one so she can figure out what makes it tick?

He walks over and stands next to her.

"Hey."

Winry gasps, surprised to see him here. It doesn't last long. She stares at him with those furious, blue eyes again, boring them into his soul. Not that he minds.

"What do you want?" she asked, turning her attention to the display.

He turns to watch it with her.

They stand there for a while, their tension from earlier returning with a vengeance and growing ever more palpable.

"Why don't I take you out to dinner tonight?" he asked. "Just the two of us?"

She turns to him.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it'll be my treat."

She gasps...and smiles."Okay, but you better get something nice while we're out," she said, making her way towards the elevator.

Edward watches her and chuckles. "No, I know," he said, following her.

Until the day came where he was ready to tell her everything, he was more than satisfied doing whatever to keep her happy. Equivalent Exchange would demand no less.

The End


End file.
